Q2 Tasting - The Rhone!
The Apt
Tasted May 21, 2016 by MC2 Wines with 542 views
Introduction
The tradition continues with the Q2 wine club. Selfishly the theme was Rhones (we have a trip planned for there later this year and wanted to get a taste of what was to come and whether there were some learnings to be had between North/South or certain producers to look out for. Overall, a very good tasting. I enjoy the wines from this region and the grape varietals in them.
To add to the fun, we repeated the 'penny vote'. Each person got five pennies which they could distribute across the wines as they saw fit (i.e. from five pennies in one wine to one penny in five wines). I've noted at the end of each note the number of pennies received. Winner was the recipient of a 'fabulous prize' (aka - a decanter that says 'Rule the Rhone').
Flight 1 - FORMAL BLIND TASTING (16 notes)
White
2002 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Roussanne Vieilles Vignes
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Wine #1: Drank this blind although since we brought it I knew what was in the glass. The only white of the day which was interesting, but given this is my favorite white wine glad that it made an appearance. 2002 isn't the best vintage of this, but it did seem to be in a pretty good spot. Lemon lysol on the nose, on the palette it's a bit waxy (from the age), honey, hints of lime, some of that age-y flavor you get. Don't know why we always forget and serve this just a bit too cold, but it certainly was opening up and improving as it warmed to room temp. (2 pennies)
Red
2009 Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve le Clos du Caillou
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Wine #2: Drank this double-blind (single blind for me since we brought this wine). This was the WOTD (for me as well) which was surprising since I didn't think it was going to be my favorite even of the ones that we provided. I'd actually purchased it just to serve as a comparison point for the 1999 of the same wine. Red currant, hints of cherry, good white pepper but with some savory notes as well. It was incredibly well balanced and approachable and drinking well now. We had decanted it prob 4 hours before we started drinking and I think it needed every minute of that decant. (16 pennies)
Red
1999 Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve le Clos du Caillou
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Wine #3: Drank this double-blind (single blind for me since we brought this wine). Older brother of the WOTN (the '09 won the whole tasting). This was clearly more aged, get the leather and barnyard characteristics, just hints of fruit in the beginning but more as it opened up. Wish we had decanted this for longer (was in the decanter prob 2 hours before drinking). While not many there were some that preferred this one given the more aged characteristic. (6 pennies)
Red
1999 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Wine #4: Drank this double-blind (single blind for me since we brought this wine). Brett all over the place on this one. In a pretty overpowering form. At a level where some were sure that the bottle was flawed and it was the only wine in the tasting to get 0 pennies. For me, it was drinkable, just very barnyard and funky and maybe hints of leather too, but definitely no fruit. Completely different though than the bottle that we had a month before at the Acker auction. Unfortunate. (0 pennies)
Red
2006 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus-Ex Machina
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Wine #5: Drank this double-blind (single blind for me since we brought this wine). This was meant to be our ringer - had gotten a recommendation on it from someone at a wine dinner who seemed to have excellent taste. In retrospect, kindof a monster of a wine that needs a much longer decant than we gave it to come together I think (only decanted about 2 hours). Alcohol was much more in one's face on this one than some of the others. Beneath that you could get the red fruits and spice, but I think they were somewhat overpowered. (1 penny)
Red
2005 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage
Wine #6: Part of a double-blind tasting of Rhones. This ended up being the winner of the 'fabulous prize' as the highest scoring wine not provided by the hosts. Good spice, hints of red currant, nice tannin structure. I liked this wine (in fact, graced it with a penny). Seemed like it was in a very good place for drinking. (10 pennies)
Red
2010 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie La Chavaroche / La Péroline
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Wine #7: Part of a double-blind tasting of Rhone wines. Surprised to see how young this wine was - was drinking like it had a bit more age on it. Funky and interesting were my notes on it. Hints of fruit and leather perhaps. (3 pennies)
Red
2013 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas Renaissance
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas
Wine #8: Part of a double blind tasting of Rhones. I enjoyed this one. Like many of the others the predominant flavors were red currant and spice although this had some nice earthy characteristics as well. This was one of my wines that I voted for. Should have a good life ahead of it. (4 pennies)
Red
2006 Domaine Monpertuis (Paul Jeune) Châteauneuf-du-Pape
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Wine #9: Part of a double blind tasting of Rhone wines. This was much more fruit forward than some of the others. Almost a candied flavor to it. Very clean. Well liked by the group - tied for 4th highest rating of the wines. (6 pennies)
Red
2012 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Wine #10: Part of a double-blind tasting of Rhones. Always fun to get to try a wine that's in your cellar although given our experience won't be popping our bottles too quickly. The alcohol was a bit more predominant here. Very fruity. Tannins were more muted in this one, but perhaps that's the Grenache? Funny because I was talking to someone about this wine and guessed it ought to be South rather than North and Grenache rather than Syrah. (3 pennies)
Red
2010 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Wine #11: Part of a double-blind tasting of Rhone wines and the beginning the (unplanned) Pegau mini-vertical. This is usually where I start to get palette fatigue and this time was no different. More tannic than some of the other wines this was clearly on the younger side. Red fruit. Caught some funk in the beginning, but it blew off pretty quickly. (4 pennies)
Red
1998 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Wine #12: Part of a double-blind tasting of Rhones. This was muted red fruits and relatively strong tannins (surprising given age), and leather. The age on the Pegaus definitely seems to help although hard to compete with the '03 that is in just such a nice place right now. (5 pennies)
Red
2003 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Wine #13: Part of a double-blind Rhone tasting. This was on the 'backstretch' when my palette was less attuned and even with that it stood out (and got a penny). Higher tannins so it's got a long life ahead, but it's settled into itself and has the characteristics of a well aged wine. More balance between the fruit and leather characteristics. I liked it and so did the group (came in third for the day). (7 pennies)
Red
2011 Domaine Saint Préfert Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve Auguste Favier
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Wine #14: Part of a double-blind Rhone tasting. This had a bit of heat, some red currant, came across as quite young but with just a touch of tannin. I liked it, but suspect it did not benefit from its positioning towards the end of the 16 wines without actually being at the end. (1 penny)
Red
2012 Goats do Roam Wine Company Goats do Roam
South Africa
Wine #15: Part of a double-blind Rhone tasting (yes, someone brought this as a joke). My notes from the blind - high alcohol, decent fruit, young, needed a decant. Certainly not a winner in the group, but did get more pennies than some other nicer wines. I chalk it up to being almost at the end of 16 relatively intense wines so there was palette fatigue all around. (3 pennies)
Red
1998 Rene Rostaing Côte-Rôtie Côte Blonde
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Wine #16: Part of a double-blind Rhone tasting. Last wine of the day so the notes on this weren't very detailed. As with many of the others got the red currant. Lighter bodied. Wish could go back and try today although was finished yesterday. (4 pennies)
Flight 2 - BONUS BOTTLES (4 notes)
In addition to the notes here, there was also a 2005 Chateau La Nerth Cuvee des Cadettes that I did not get to try. These notes are more from memory as I stopped the formal note writing after the formal tasting.
Red
1981 E. Guigal Hermitage
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
This bottle was definitely more like last legs than really youthful (bought in second hand market so perhaps not the same quality of storage?). Brickish color, lots of leather and saddle and older characteristics. Went quickly so seemed to be enjoyed.
Red
2007 Constant Syrah Diamond Mountain Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain
Our last of these. I was interested to try it after the Rhone flights to see how different the California approach really is with this varietal. Certainly more fruit forward (esp on the heels of the '81 Guigal Hermitage). This wine was just enjoyable which is exactly what we were looking for at that point in the night.
Red
2013 Proper Wines Estate Syrah
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
This is one of my favorite QPR wines and the 2013 is a particularly good year of it. It's got that wonderful rocks funk to it and is very accessible even so young. Interesting to drink on the heels of a lot of Rhone wines as you can see some of the influence although I think this wine was maybe just a bit heavier than some of the others and the fruit in this was more of the darker (black) variety.
Red
2008 Dierberg Syrah Santa Ynez Valley
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
Our last Dierberg - seems like the end of an era (this was one of the first wine clubs that we joined together before realizing the bottles were purchasable for 30% less through other channels). Another counterpoint to the Rhone tasting that we did earlier in the day. This was a fine wine and the right wine for towards the end of the evening, but I thought not as good as the Proper which came before and certainly not the Constant which had a bit more interest in its fruit balance.
Closing
Interesting to see the group enjoy both wines from the North (second place) and South (first place) and both younger and older. Sad that a few of the wines I was most excited about didn't really live up to their potential (the Chapoutier and the Clos St Jean), but it did make me much more intrigued to look up Clos du Caillou when we are there. Overall an enjoyable afternoon with good friends and good wine (and some excellent truffle meatballs that paired well with the truffle burrata).
Here's the official results:
FIRST PLACE (16 pennies)
Wine #2: 2009 Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve le Clos du Caillou
SECOND PLACE (10 pennies)
Wine #6: 2005 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert **decanter winner!
THIRD PLACE (7 pennies)
Wine #13: 2003 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
FOURTH PLACE (2-way tie @ 6 pennies)
Wine #3: 1999 Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve le Clos du Caillou
Wine #9: 2006 Domaine Monpertuis (Paul Jeune) Châteauneuf-du-Pape (6 pennies)
FIFTH PLACE (5 pennies)
Wine #12: 1998 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée (5 pennies)
SIXTH PLACE (3-way tie @ 4 pennies)
Wine #8: 2013 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas Renaissance
Wine #11: 2010 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
Wine #16: 1998 Rene Rostaing Côte-Rôtie Côte Blonde
SEVENTH PLACE (3-way tie @ 3 pennies)
Wine #7: 2010 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie La Chavaroche
Wine #10: 2012 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Wine #15: 2012 Goats do Roam Wine Company Goats do Roam
EIGHTH PLACE (2 pennies)
Wine #1: 2002 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Roussanne Vieilles Vignes
NINTH PLACE (2 way tie @ 1 penny)
Wine #5: 2006 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus-Ex Machina
Wine #14: 2011 Domaine Saint Préfert Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve Auguste Favier
POTENTIALLY FLAWED (0 pennies)
Wine #4: 1999 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon
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